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Game Sleuth Farewell Post

Back at the start of 2010, we had a big editorial meeting at GameTrailers focusing on new show initiatives. At that point, GameTrailers earned a reputation for having really great shows, but many of them were produced by third parties like AVGN, ScrewAttack, and HAWP.

I had one and only one idea that I brought to the meeting, and it was something I had always had an interest in and felt would make a great video series; a show covering popular video game myths. I grew up on a bunch of 90s Nintendo myths - popular stuff like getting the Triforce or beating the Running Man in Ocarina of Time, playing as Luigi in Super Mario 64, and reviving Aerith in Final Fantasy VII.

After pitching the idea when it was my turn to present, the concept was greeted with praise and excitement. I think it might have been the first time in my life where an idea I had was so well received; for those who don't know, I have always had a self confidence problem, something that persists to this day despite sincere efforts from multiple parties to remedy the situation. It felt really good to have this much support for my idea, and it made me really excited to get the show in production.

I immediately had several ideas for the first episode, and ultimately went with one of the oldest ones in the book; could you jump over the flagpole in Super Mario Bros. By the show's current standards, it was a very quick and dirty look at the myth, a superficial glance with very little research put into it. The episode also lacked the current structure/format, too. In retrospect, it was kind of like a trivia type of video rather than an investigative/research piece.

This was the first real show I got to work on, and there was a lot to get done to get it off the ground, involving multiple people on the production end. When May 2010 rolled around, it was time for the first episode to go live. That's when I think panic set in. I believed in the show, and I put in a lot of work to get the first episode ready to go, and others had worked hard to make it look as awesome as it did. But I couldn't stop worrying about how well would it actually do. Back then, shows lived and died by views, so if it didn't perform well, it would likely get axed as it wasn't worth the time and effort.

Seeing the episode take off and race into the 100K+ views in a short time was one of the best feelings I ever had. I felt vindicated, I felt gratification, and I felt a strong sense of purpose. The follow-up episode covering the Chris Houlihan room in A Link to the Past did just as well, but it was the third episode about playing as Master Hand in Super Smash Bros. Melee that broke all expectations. This episode was actually written by the brother of Pop Fiction's first video editor, John Ondrey, with assistance from the person who discovered the trick. James Ondrey, the original editor, was also really into Nintendo and Nintendo myths like me. When we read the script, I doubted if the claim was legit at first, but upon trying it out and seeing it work, that's when I was on the receiving end of an episode and fully realized how awesome of a show this was.

James Ondrey not only served as the original editor of the series, but was a big believer in it, and he went the extra mile to make each episode a little more special with his personal touch. Eventually James left GameTrailers and the torch passed on to Don Casanova, a name you all love and know very well. I remember feeling like Don might be intimidated by inheriting this show, but as I talked with him about my expectations and my production process, the more I realized he was the perfect replacement. I still remember the crossover episode with AVGN when the morning of the day we were shooting with him, Don on the spot came up with a storyline for a live action component involving the AVGN. He storyboarded and shot it all with such a passion I hadn’t seen before, turning it into something great with the help of James Rolfe's awesome attitude and cooperation.

From 2010-2014, 45 episodes of Pop Fiction spread across 4 seasons released on an almost monthly schedule, and with the exception of the Master Hand and Animal Crossing episodes, all of them were written, captured, and produced by me. In addition to new episodes, several episode updates, some that ended up being longer than the original version of an episode, also came out on top of the almost monthly releases. Not to mention a few years later a supplementary show, Pop Facts, a weekly show about various easter eggs and secrets in games, joined the lineup.

There were definitely some low points, including making a wrong call on the Totaka's Song episode, and letting my personal goal of working with Mega64 in any capacity lead to a forced crossover episode that made little sense and ultimately upset Pop Fiction viewers (not to mention having to edit out the Mega64 parts was very disrespectful to them, especially when they were and still are one of my favorite content creators). 

Yet despite those few missteps, there were so many great episodes. The Fire Temple chants episode is still probably my favorite, and to this day is probably the piece of content I am most proud of producing, not because of how much research I put into it, but how after putting the original episode out there, several people came forward with more info that lead to new discoveries. The most recent version of that episode is probably the most comprehensive amount of information on the topic in a single place anywhere, and everyone involved made that happen.

I also got to interview major industry figures who shared amazing personal stories shedding light on behind-the-scenes happenings, including Pokemon Director/Producer Junichi Masuda recalling a middle schooler informing him about how he used a glitch to get Mew, Naughty Dog's Evan Wells sharing how he and the team recreated a track from Diddy Kong Racing at an early stage of Crash Team Racing's development, or the legendary Ed Boon dishing out secrets on the real story behind famous Mortal Kombat myths like unlocking Reptile and Ermac in the original games.

Pop Fiction also evolved over the years to be less of a trivia type show about game myths to a deep dive into the history of the myth, investigating and researching the myth, trying to reproduce the claim, and when possible, trying to get in touch with people who worked on the game to get the definitive answer. What it ended up being is so much more than what it originally started out as, and it was an absolute pleasure to see it evolve over the years, and a wonderful experience to see first-hand how your work, no matter how good you think it is, always has room to improve and grow.

When I was let go from GameTrailers in 2015 during one of Defy Media's earlier waves of layoffs, I felt the premature end of my time working in the industry was being forced upon me. After Defy shuttered GameTrailers in 2016 and we were miraculously given a second chance through Easy Allies, I wanted to continue work on the show I created. During that one-year exodus, I felt torn away from something I really loved, and it was the first time in a long time I felt serious depression, and my anxiety hit an all time high. It was not good for me on any level, and I really shudder to think at what would have happened if I were forced to remain in that situation.

So when I was finally able to join up with Easy Allies (I couldn't be there for the initial launch due to previous obligations with my then employer, Funimation), it was just the relief I needed. It felt like being home again. However, I was panicking because the Patreon took off way faster than anyone had ever dreamed, and my timetable for launching the spiritual successor of Pop Fiction, Game Sleuth, had to be drastically accelerated. At that point in early 2016, I had spent a lot of time on the phone with a good friend and former GameTrailers colleague Marco Rosado to brainstorm the new show. I remember we spent two hours on the phone trying to come up with the name, we just kept pushing back and forth on various ideas and eventually it lead to the name Game Sleuth almost as if the whole process was natural. 

Marco and his work partner Dan Racusin created the new show graphics and graciously allowed me to use their work space to have a quiet environment to focus on producing the first episode. It took roughly a month to get that episode ready to go, and as you probably know, Game Sleuth launched on Easy Allies, covering the Running Man myth in Ocarina of Time. From there, I got to revisit the Bigfoot mystery that continued from GTA San Andreas into GTA V, sharing my newfound passion for Dragon Ball in an episode, working with Boundary Break on perhaps the first ever collaborative episode that made sense (and yea that felt good finally), and correcting a longstanding misconception about a popular Resident Evil 2 myth by interviewing those who created the hoax in the first place.

Which brings us to today. It's been just about 9 years since Pop Fiction came to be, and I've been actively working on this series in some form for 8 years. The show became my life for a good part of that time, with almost everything else in my life taking a backseat. It was a lot of work, it was a lot of passion, and I feel incredibly proud to have worked on this show. However, all things come to an end. Yes, there are other mysteries out there to cover. But I've come to a point where I just don't feel as motivated to work on this show. I'm glad several other similar shows have sprung up in the years since that have also found a great deal of success, shows like Boundary Break, Did You Know Gaming, and Game Theory, as well as several others.

I could sit here and list off a bunch of excuses like every episode ended in false or how Japanese game myths almost always never get an official response when we reach out so they're left unsolved, but the core problem is that I no longer having a passion for this subject. Maybe someday something will renew that, I can't predict the future, but right now I can safely say I’d like to try my hand at something different. 

Besides Pop Fiction, my other big project at GameTrailers was at the end of 2011 / start of 2012, convincing our department to get on board with streaming (Okay, yes, Timeline was another one, but that's not coming back). After hearing how expensive and difficult streaming would be, I had to bring in my own PC and capture setup and demonstrate in the office how we could be streaming for much cheaper than they thought, and with less resources than they thought. We started streaming on Ustream due to an issue with JustinTV/Twitch at the time (something similar to the issues Viacom had with YouTube/Google back then), but we eventually ended up on Twitch. Working with several people at GT, streaming got off the ground and became a serious initiative in 2012, and as you probably know, the rest is history...

Yes, GameTrailers and now Easy Allies got into the streaming scene at the right time, early enough to be near the ground level with the potential to become a huge component of our business. As you've seen at Easy Allies, streaming is a big deal for us, we are one of the biggest streams during E3, dwarfing other major players in the industry, and our live reactions have become one of our biggest draws (in fact, let's be honest, if we're going by numbers, it is the biggest thing we do at Easy Allies).

For over a year, I've been pushing for us to go harder on streaming, as have some of the others. It's something I feel we still have a window of time to capitalize on, and I take it very seriously. However, at Easy Allies, we're a bit of everything, and as I agree with some of the others, focus can sometimes be an issue. What is the focus of Easy Allies, and what should we be focusing more on to better our situation and content. After three years here, I can tell you this -- old school style of produced content like you saw from us at GameTrailers is not the future for us. There are others out there who stepped up and surpassed us, and we're not going to win that game. 

That doesn't mean we should stop produced content altogether, but I think we need to bring our produced content into focus. Tapping into our personalities, not just individuals, but us as a group, is our biggest strength in my opinion. As you've probably seen already, we've adjusted our strategy here at Easy Allies to take better advantage of that, as well as doubling down on personality driven content. This means axing old style of content that no longer fits into our brand, and it's also a bit of it's time to let go of the past. I've said GameTrailers how many times now in this post? It's long past due that we stop playing that card, and shows and elements associated with that time period needs to end. 

Streaming is one of the pillars of our future, and one we need to embrace more and become more proactive in the scene. I do not recall who came up with our 52K goal, if it was me, I apologize immensely, but it was a bad idea. By proxy of us moving into a studio space, more streams with us together should naturally just happen. It did at first, and then it stopped. I apologize again for not pushing back harder and calling us out for this shortcoming. Solo streams will obviously still exist as you read, but the core streaming focus of Easy Allies going forward is multi-person streams. They leverage our biggest strength and draw - multiple Allies together to hopefully have those moments you all love and desire so much.

I'm going to be helming this and taking an even larger role in our streaming initiative. It's something I am passionate about, it's something I firmly believe in, and it's something I think that will lead to further growth for the company. I will still be producing reviews and Friend Code, I will still be participating in other shows/podcasts as a guest, but a heavy focus for me going forward will be Easy Allies' streaming initiative. That means I’ll be in the office multiple days a week either on stream or behind the scenes operating the stream.

Which brings us to things I want for us streaming in the future. We will eventually be overhauling all aspects of our streams, from on-screen layout and graphics to the setup we use. This also means a two way dialogue with you, the community, on features you'd like to see us utilize. I understand there will be some of you who are upset about this; there were people in the survey who wanted more produced, GT style content, especially Game Sleuth. I apologize if this is a letdown, but I also ask you to please keep an open mind.

Ultimately, what I'm most excited about with this change is finally being able to be together with the other Allies more often. That is an element I dearly missed and wanted more of, and now with us streaming more together we’re not only satisfying a request many of you have had, but it's also gratifying on a personal level for me. I think you're going to see a better attitude/vibe from Easy Allies with this change, and I think you're going to get more of what you love the most from us.

As always, I do sincerely care about constructive criticism and welcome actionable feedback. Let us know what you hope to see come out of these new streams, and I'll see what we can do about it.

L&R, and be excellent to each other,

- Damiani

Comments

So basically, you're trying to appeal to a much younger market. This is about money, not a "creative shift"

aguynamedjosh

Great read - especially that personal passage on self confidence. What a powerful story - and it adds a whole new note to those "Final Bosman" bits that ironically depicted Damiani's "character" in an entirely different way. Knowing that background, I am actually kind of happy that "Final Bosman Damiani" got that girl at the Deli ... ;)

Camian

This was an awesome read and I’m so glad you opened up about this! I do have one comment about the screen overlay during streams. When you have a sponsor, I don’t think the sponsor’s logo should ever be larger than the EZA logo. I had you guys on during Easy Living and one of my friends who was visiting thought you were called “Hoeg” because that was the dominant logo. Just something to think about when trying to grab auxiliary viewers

Michael Berube

Pop Fiction is what sucked me into GameTrailers. So well written and produced. I realized there were people dedicating their time to produce such great content.

Thank you so much Damiani L&R

Some of my favorite stream moments were because someone lost a bet and took the punishment seriously. Huber playing a clarinet recital was brilliant! Kyle playing a horror game by himself in the dark was funny to watch too! And I loved moments where you'd dress up whether it was a pajama party or costumes for a holiday. I think there's a lot of opportunity to create behind-the-scenes content surrounding streams like that as well (maybe you all create ugly holiday sweaters for each other secret-santa-style as produced content and then wear them on stream as a kind of bookend content thing or as a just for Patrons thing I don't know I've got Gangnam Style stuck in my head now but as Secret Santa Style.) Any behind-the-scenes stuff would be great as produced content for Patrons though! Confessional-type videos as a bunch of you play a game like Pokémon Sword/Shield on your own and then a stream where you battle each other could be fun and I'm talking like videos shot on your phones edited together just like, "Hey, we're trying something out! I named my Grookey Donkey Kong!" ANYway, you don't need ideas from me because you have brilliant ideas. I look forward to catching streams. I love you all and when I'm feeling down your content always picks me up. Love & Respect!

Brian "FriendlyMerlin" A.

A show I’ll dearly missed but an interesting read for the history of the show and where EZA is today. Streaming isn’t something I’m a part of, I prefer shows, but I understand and respect the direction. L&R

Tzp2gameknight

Thank you for the Post Damiani. Reminds me of the times when I'm very judgemental in my job and if I'm confident enough to do it. I'm proud of you and the EZA Content that this Patreon has created. I will continue my Pledge for years to come.

Mhee12

Only feedback I have is to enforce the idea of multi-person streams. I often don't follow the single person streams, as it is usually a bit too slow or uninteresting for me. The group dynamic is a huge reason why we follow EZA, and when it is there for a stream, it makes all the difference. Seeing Ian and Don work off each other as they explore Jurassic Park is so much more interesting than if Ian is playing by himself. Brandon Plays Pokemon wouldn't be nearly as engaging if Kyle wasn't there with him.

Pixillated

Thank you Damiani for that thorough explanation. While I may not be able to watch as many streams compared with your other content, I think it is absolutely the right call and plays into Easy Allies' strengths. Looking forward to what comes next!

GW Fawkes

I agree that those shows should not be replaced by streams, mostly because I watch those whenever I like, but am hardly ever around for a live stream or find that other streams are too long to sit down for. However, I think the difference between shows like Achieve it Yourself and Game Sleuth is the personality aspect. The shows you mentioned get Allies together and live off their personalities and interactions, whereas Game Sleuth was more of a stream of information without the personality and interaction of the Allies shining through so much. I could definitely support a switch to shows like Achieve It Yourself, despite how interesting Game Sleuth was at times.

Zkarts

I have loved your sleuth content since those days in GT Damiani, and I look forward to the awesome new works that you are excited about producing. I am already loving the new streaming content.

Jeffrey Tessar

Having subscribed to Easy Allies in the beginning because of Game Sleuth being the successor to pop fiction, I am admittedly disappointed. Although having watched EZA pretty much since it's inception I can say I love the streaming direction the channel has taken and fully support what EZA has become. Unfortunately I can't watch streams live but I still love watching the vods.

I think we all, clearly, loved Game Sleuth and are sad to see it go. However, I think it is an understatement to simply say that every Ally and community member hugely respects your work, attitude, and professional intuition for the future of our most beloved organization of 9! All the Love, All the Respect,

Darren Mifsud

Thank you for the post, Damiani. Along with reviews, Pop Fiction is what brought me to GameTrailers. It was always a huge undertaking, I don't think anyone will dispute that, but you made it looks easy. And that's why I understand why you have to say goodbye to it. I made my opinion known about the EZA turn towards streaming when Phase Four was announced, and I get it, but I think it's important to know why people followed you guys to EZA and give on the Patreon, and it isn't necessarily streaming. I just hope you guys find a balance between streaming and edited content like reviews, previews, etc.

DCGX

Thanks so much for all your hard work over the years. While it's been a blast watching you and Huber play RE5, you should try to focus on games that you haven't played before, it's always interesting seeing you guys solve a puzzle or react to a boss design for the first time.

Very inspiring post, Damiani. We appreciate your strength and courage, and I can safely say that the true fans, the people who are truly passionate about Easy Allies will keep an open mind and embraqce any positive change. Keep at it!

Hi Damiani, Thank you so much for writing all this, the story on how PF came plus GS is fascinating as is the look towards the future. Much love, much respect.

See You When I Get There

Thanks for sharing this. I will always take one show over ten streams, but if streams is something you really want to do, then OK.

Alexander Zyryanov

So happy you came back to join the Allies. You're an obvious asset and a great foil to Kyle's shenanigans. Can't wait to see what you get up to next!

Sam Sorensen

Great post Damiani, really interesting to read all that from your perspective. For all future streams I hope you have your salad mic on because its really frustrating as a viewer to hear you "whispering" in the background when the allies are focusing on what you are saying when the stream can't hear you.

Rosamune

Great post, Damiani. It was nice to see it all laid out like that. Regarding produced content vs streaming. What are Achieve it Yourself and Don's Design Lab considered? Produced content right? Or is it something else? Whatever it is, it is by far my favorite type of EZA content (outside of podcasts). I hope this kind of stuff isn't replaced by streaming. It's your personalities as a group showcased in a way that I prefer to watch.

Andrew Chalmers

Thanks for giving us so much information about your point of view, Damiani!

Ian Alexander

Just so you know Damiani a friend recently raved to me about the Dragon Booster TV show and I linked them your Game Sleuth on its DS spinoff. I don't know if they have watched it yet but there's a love-heart react next to it in our group chat so take that how you will

DaleBastion

Nice.

<3 I just wanna say how extremely well written this whole post was. I'm on board with whatever you want to do Damiani. In my opinion - Easy Allies is best when the Allies are doing something they love doing.

Tim, King of the Monsters

Hi, Damiani. I've read all of your post in one go as it's an honor to see your sincerest feelings and thoughts on the subject. While I do prefer shows like Game Sleuth, The Easy Allies Podcast, Friend Code, Frame Tap, etc. over streaming, I do understand and respect everything you've said in your post. If you and the other Allies truly believe that streaming more is the best way, then I will do what I can to help make whatever personal and collective goals you all have a reality. I will always support Easy Allies no matter what. Also, if streaming helps you guys play and experience more games as well as give us more of the crazy moments we all love, then I'm all in. Lastly, but definitely not least, I want to thank you for all your work, effort and creativity in producing Pop Fiction, Pop Facts and Game Sleuth. I loved these shows and will look forward to whatever you decide to produce in the future. L & R

Daniel Ribeiro

Some people still misinterpret Phase 4 as "oh my god EZA is ALL STREAMING now!!!" when, again, this isn't what's being said. They reevaluated their priorities, are streaming together more, and for their shows (that are produced, and edited) are banking on their personalities (Huber Prison of Love, Achieve it Yourself, etc) instead of using a impersonal voice like Top 10 and Game Sleuth was. It's the truth that chasing hyper produced and highly frontloaded research shows don't play to EZAs strength anymore. They'll keep podcasting, keep reviewing games, keep having wacky fun and that's a lot of stuff for nine people.

Eric Grynberg

The Group streams are fun, but I rarely get a chance to watch any of them. I pretty much only watch the edited content these days, but as long as some of that keeps coming out along with new ideas from time to time, I don't have an issue with an increased focus on streaming. Drunk streams are always fun :)

Bokthand

I did not expect to see this post here, and I have to say after reading it all I am in tears. I love how passionate you are, and I want to continue to support you in these new streaming endeavours. I loved the more produced content, but I also love the streams. More streams together is definitely something I wanted to see in the studio. I've always said that the Easy Allies are best when working together. Opportunies where you can play off eachother's personalities and unique viewpoints are some of the most entertaining things I've ever watched. Lately I have been concerned with the lack of bet related content from Easy Allies, but now I think this is just because I miss the more "out-there" ideas like power point presentations, "the trial of Kyle Bosman", raps, etc that would always follow. If you could find a way to have more of that kind of content even if bets aren't involved (assuming there is a reason for the lack of betting content) I feel like it would be really successful and a lot of fun too. Beyond all that, I just want to say thank you for pushing Easy Allies in this direction and working so hard on all of the products you work on. I can always tell you put a lot of thought into your work and I can't wait to see all of the amazing things to come.

Yui

First off, I want to say that I'm totally okay with Game Sleuth ending, especially if your heart is not with it anymore. That being said, I'm getting a bit triggered when I hear the "streaming is the future" arguments. F streaming, for real. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge EZA fan, but the streams are definitely the weakest content you put out. I'd take any well edited episode of whatever show you are working on over one of those group streams, where there are 9 people talking over each other with like 3 mics standing in the middle of the room. That's not to say, that you could not improve your streams. In fact, you already did by introducing 2 people and 3 people streams, which is a way better number than 1 person or 9 people. You could still improve by putting mics directly in front of your mouths, like the guys at Game Informer do when they stream Replay. That being said, I will always take a well edited show over a stream. I hate having to wait until I get to interesting parts, I hate to have to watch streamers pause the game every 10 seconds for them to speak to the "Chat". It's just annoying. (Although I will admit that you guys don't do that as often as some other streamers...*cough* Game Attack) Like I said, I'm ok with Game Sleuth ending though, there are enough Alternatives out there. But I'm also glad that you guys are still doing a lot of shows. All the new ones are great, like Mysterious Monsters or Achieve it Yourself. And so is the weekly official Podcast.

RedVIII

party on, dude. :)

I dont get to see a lot of the streams live but I love having them to hop into when I need a boost. Twitch allows one to listen even when the app is closed so I listen to it as I would a podcast, on my phone during working hours. The Allies voices lift my spirits even if I don't see what game they're playing I can still hear the joking and camaraderie and it makes me happier to be stuck at work. And its better to hear three or four or 8 voices than just one during a solo stream. Just another point of view thrown out there.

JessieBlu

"During the day"happens at different times around the world and the Allies have growing international viewing numbers

JessieBlu

I'd like to know too. I sometimes watch the Group Stream, but with all the podcasts, I never have time to watch any others.

Logan Tawse

Totally fair since you've already investigated the top 60 or so mysteries in gaming.

Cash

Who has time to watch all these live streams?

David Warren

This was such a heartfelt, articulate farewell it prompted me to dig up old Pop Fiction episodes (I missed the whole GameTrailers era, so I'm looking forward to watching the series for the first time). Also, count me among those who love the new emphasis on content you guys are passionate about. It's been awesome to see the renewed purpose and creativity from everyone in all the new Phase 4 stuff. Keep up the great work, Damiani!

Jordan Pettigrew

End of an era. But, it was a great ride. I'm sad to see it go. But, I look forward to what's in store.

ChipChapChop

Heyo Damiani, You didn't need to offer up such a complete and personal explanation, but I felt and appreciated every single word. I followed GT since the early days, and your work was a highlight for me even before I knew your name. That said, I admire that you recognize how you've developed and grown professionally--and how your organization's mission requires different things from you. You're absolutely doing the right thing, and I celebrate the solid, enduring work you've capped off here. I relate to your shift in a way, in that since I turned 30, my work in publishing has shifted from crazy writing and production editing to higher level editing and editorial management. I love nothing more than shutting myself in a room for months on end, writing what I want, but my organization needs me for other things. I have to train others, work with others, and then trust them with the nitty-gritty. And I just can't do the 60-hour weeks anymore. Research-intensive work is best done collaboratively, over time, among passionate people with something to prove. You've done your work, and I'd rather you focus on what's best for you now. One day, with the right people around, I imagine you'll envision an awesome one-off project that requires intensive research and lotsa production time, but hopefully you'll give yourself the time and patience to get it done the way you want. All the best, man. I really enjoy what you're doing now.

Cloisterance

First of all, I want to thank you for your sincerity. Second what I’m about to write I do with the utmost respect for your wishes and passion for streaming and I do so without the intention of changing your mind, but rather to offer a point of view that I haven’t seen any of the allies address. I can’t watch streams, at least not with any regularity that could be counted by a whole number per month. When I remember, I log in to Twitch to give you my free prime sub, but Twitch doesn’t remind me when it’s about to go up so I tend to miss a lot of months. There are many reasons why I don’t watch streams, and while some are in your control to some degree (audio, graphics, commentary, etc), you are up against one that you can’t solve: adult life. I simply do not have time to watch someone (not just EZA) for more than the half hour or so it takes me to have my dinner at the end of a busy workday. This is also why I now almost never see your podcasts on youtube and just listen to them while I’m doing something else. Pre-recorded short(ish) form or content that I can pause and resume is the only content I can consume from you. It’s not about GT nostalgia, or clinging to old shows, it’s about having something to watch at all. Kudos for the foresight on the rise of streaming, but please don’t assume that’s the only way to grow. I think you underestimate your collective talent in creating produced content. I know that I’m not alone in my situation, which is why it really saddens me to read that you want to chase a different audience than the one I, and many like me, can reasonably be part of. Again, I do not mean to say that you are wrong in any way for pushing for this if it truly is what you believe in and want to do. I would certainly rather you be happy than me having cheap entertainment at your expense. But I want you to keep us in mind when you decide to spend less and less time on the type of content that brought people like me here. Or at least throw us a bone and revive Easy Allies Clips (10, 15min tops!) so we are not completely left out. L&R

AsGenesis

I have sincerely been looking forward to this post since you mentioned that you would be sharing it with the phase 4 announcements. Pop Fiction and Game Sleuth have been tent-poll series for me, and have imbibed me with such love and excitement for several years now. One of my top 5 videos on YouTube is the Shadow of the Colossus video, as I was actually victim to those particular myths back when the game first launched, and has since held a special place in my heart. I wanted to say to you Damiani how invaluable that series has meant to me and how it has shaped my views on things like nostalgia and the value of sleuthing out the truth. As much as it pains me to see the show come to a close, there is a satisfaction with that as well. Not only because you’ve grown past that style of content (and nobody can blame you after dedicating so much time and energy, now finally wanting to pursue something different), but also because I feel that style of content is perhaps a bit dated and stale. I wouldn’t want to see more episodes if you weren’t feeling it, as it would just feel like holding on for all the wrong reasons. All this to say, thank you, Damiani. Your work has meant so much to so many, and we look forward to what you can make happen in the future, whatever form it takes. And to you and any allies addressing the concerns around anxiety and depression. It’s important to remember that these ailments aren’t something you simple get over as a result of enough support. It’s more like a hill you’re trying to overcome. Sometimes it’s steeper, sometimes more gently sloping, but rarely do you actually reach the top. Support is there to make the journey easier, not to reach the destination. With that said, we allies are here for you, the Easy Allies, to love and support as best we can. L&R -EJ

Eric Jackson

What a great post Damiani. Much respect. I didn’t find you all until your first E3 as easy allies so I’m very much with you in terms of the streamed content. When people reference old shows, I’ve never heard of them or seen them, so I personally won’t be missing much from that produced content (although Dons design lab and mysterious monsters are pretty great). I’ve been tuning in for things like Silver Squad and Mike and Mike and hope for more things like this in the future. I wish more of it was during the day to be honest. I know this probably isn’t ideal but for example Cup of Jones is done at a great time, so if more things could be done during the day that’d be pretty sweet. Keep it up my dude I’m very glad support content creators creating the content they’re passionate about.

Owen

Well said, Damiani! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

TLDR : Streams are the goal for himself and the company at large to differentiate themselves since others do produced content better. At least similar ones from GT. Believes streaming will benefit their overall quality of life and getting more people to get to know them. Hopes ppl have an open mind if they don’t like streaming much.

Soul

Great post Damiani, can’t wait to see what you and the rest of the Allies do with a shift of focus to more streams. Thanks for all the hard work you do to make them what they are and for pushing to make them what they could be!

Thanks so much for the write-up Mr. Damiani. GameSleuth was my absolute favorite thing EZA produced and I figured when Phase 4 was about to be announced, I knew it was getting the axe because the last episode's publish date was LAST Halloween. And reading this above post, it makes total sense. If the passion isn't there, no matter how strong it was originally, the quality suffers, so while it STILL hurts, I'm happy you made the call you did. To a point you made, I'm a Patron for not just the quality EZA creates, but all of you as people and personalities. So more focus on yourselves shows how much of a benefit that has been. So at the end of the day, thanks for at least making a show which is probably one of the most unique and enjoyable topics about games. And if we get nostalgic, there's always Youtube. ;-)

Brandon K Gann

Very good and interesting post. I mentioned this on Cup of Jones but you should look into eventually getting a Two PC Setup for the streaming room. One PC to capture from and one to run the rest. Think that might help a lot.

Olf Himself

First I was sad because of nostalgia, then I was mad because you mentioned interviewing people in the industry and that made me remember Seth Killian and the Mega Man 9 BS, then I was sad again because produced content isn't a focus in EZA phase 4.

Nicholas Poer

Thank you for sharing <3

Whovian

Thank you for the post, sharing your thoughts and feelings. Great production with the show(s). And now it's awesome to hear and witness your passion with EZA, I respect you and all that a lot.

Ville Ranto

Thank you for making such an elaborate post on this topic. I was one of the people who wanted more content like Game Sleuth, but I understand where you're coming from. Seeing streams now such as Brandon and Kyle playing Pokemon Silver, they're super entertaining. It's a hole I didn't know I wanted filled, but I'm happy it is now. L&R!

Eric Mitchell

Just wanted to say that I thought Pop Fiction/Game Sleuth were always impeccably researched and thoughtfully written. They were true gems of shows and you did an amazing job on them. (Also props to even conceiving such a great idea!) Sad to see them discontinued, even though I saw the writing on the wall, but I'm still here with you guys and the community on this EZA journey!

Neil K Bonsteel

Sorry it was supposed to be public, fixed it now. - Damiani

Easy Allies

Damiani, you are the MAN! We will ride with you the whole way! L&R brother!!

Great post. Quick question, is this supposed to be Patreon only? Because I think the whole community should be able to read this post.

Varun Kachhwaha

Thank you, Damiani. Thank you for Pop Fiction/Game Sleuth and thank you for all the other work you put in for EZA and the community. This kind of post means a lot and as long as you're doing what you think is best and makes you happy, you'll have my support. I'm very much looking forward to all future content you guys produce. L&R

Thank you for this and all that you do Damiani, I really respect your ability to be open, honest and display your vulnerability. It’s a fantastic quality and why I think you’re such a self aware, considerate person. Keep doing you! L & R

BigTurkey

Gods man, when I saw how long that post was I thought you were leaving the Allies. Gave me heart palpitations! I'm not as big on the streaming as I am on the shows: I even forced myself to watch friend code despite not owning a nintendo product since the 64, and now I greatly enjoy it (gonna get one when my boy gets a little older, so I gotta do my research!). But you gotta pursue your passions, man, and I am very happy that you are bravely moving forward into your happy place instead of wallowing in past. Your passion for Nintendo got me to watch Friend Code: I hope that your passion for streaming will get me to tune into more streams, and get others to as well. Continue to follow the Way of the Hero: I think that this new streaming gig will be your personal Triforce. L&R

Corrigall

Amazing work Damiani, you're one of the greats. Your name is synonymous to many of my favourite memories of Gametrailers. I look forward to the future of EZA and the ideas that follow!

Mason Victoria

Thanks for sharing Damiani, I'm glad you included those times you were fighting anxiety and depression as the more we all talk about it the more other people can see it's not only happening to them. Anyways, first off I'm sad to see the show go. It was really cool to hear about some of these myths I've know about for years (mainly Akuma in RE2) and what was really going on. However I am glad for more team up and group streams. However, just from a personal stand point I do also really like the produced content as well. EZA has some awesomely creative people that I want them to have a platform for whatever they want to make. There is no EZA without Don's Busted Trifecta or Kyle's BoxPeek. I think you guys are hitting the sweet spot so all I can say is keep it up, We (I) support you guys cause you all share a passion for gaming like we do, and it's all about that L&R.

Love and Respect

Brandon Ray

This is a good point. Group streams are fun when every one is engaged on what's happening on screen instead of many different side conversations. Side conversations are okay if you include your live audience. Gundam building is a chill stream and is meant to allow conversations about any kinds of topic and lots of chat interaction. I love Gundam building streams.

LeeLore

Wow, thank you Damiani for this background on the show. I had no clue you have self esteem issues (like me lol). Please do what you feel like doing and don't stress too much about the audience. We just want you guys to be happy. Personally i do prefer the smaller produced content, but i think this is something that you can't force. It needs to be a passion, like it is for Ian and his Easy Updates (at least i hope it still is..). Thank you for all your work at Gametrailers and Easy Allies, it definitely wouldnt be the same without you. If i can suggest something, i would love a bigger focus on new releases fpr streaming. RE5 personally didnt interest me much, however Stranger Things i found an absolutely awesome watch. Cheers and L&R

Sven Van Lathem

An excellent and well-written post. L&R <3

Pop Fiction and Game Sleuth will always be held dear in my heart. While I'm sad they are gone, I've always respected the idea of ending things while they're still fondly remembered. Slaving at something that becomes a chore is never good. PS. I have to echo how great James Rolfe is. He is sincerely one of the kindest people I've ever had the fortune of talking to.

Chris Leroux

Wonderful post Damiani. I fully support your decisions. We shouldn't forget the past but be inspired by it. We shouldn't be so stuck in the past that we don't evolve. Change is a good thing. The streaming initiatives are already bringing me so much joy. Looking forward to more fun group streams!

LeeLore

Damiani I love you !!! I'm so happy you will be now overseeing the entire streaming department !!! Loved your story telling as well, it was very emotional !!! We'll always be there to support !!! Love & Respect !!

tahitianwarrior

Awesome thoughtful post. We're excited for you Damiani!

TravelingSnowman

pop fiction and game sleuth meant a lot to me, watched the episodes religiously but i really just want you all to do what makes you happy. happy allies makes for better content. no exceptions. Biggest L&R!

The passion you have for the streaming initiative really came through in this post. I’m very excited for the future. L&R, Damiani

One of my favorite things you all as a group have done at GT and EZA was the pajama party Until Dawn full play-through stream. It felt unique, fun, and casual in a way that makes you all as a group special. I totally understand why people would be upset by less formally-produced videos, but I think you should also know how much fun and how special your streams are. L&R <3

Aaron Hendrix

Wow that was quite a read... Thanks for sharing... And while I am part of those who think its sad, I completely understand! You absolutely need to work on what you desire and what makes you happy :) Also, as you said, there are others... I have been subscribed to both Theorist and Did you know channels so its not like this is the only place where such type of content was available :) I personally never watched any streams, yet I have been patreon since day 1... I simply do not have time to watch that many hours... Finally, "Produced" content can mean two things though... shows like reviews/top10/sleuth/etc... (voice over video), but also other shows like the Betting specials, Mysterious Monsters, etc. (with live acting edited as a show)... I personally like both, but in the case of EZA, i think you guys shine even more with the live acting type :) Anyway, my wife and I loves you all very much and we do have an open mind about it all... but we still hope for more "short" content ;) L&R always!

Hugo D Hawk X

Thank you for taking the time to write this, Damiani. I really appreciate your passion and the amount of effort that you put into your work. It does not go unnoticed! Much love and respect! <3

Liana

Some feedback: Unless you're all playing, there are rapidly diminishing returns for having any more than two people on a stream. It works for Gundam construction where everyone is doing something, likewise with (for example) 4-player Mario Kart, but otherwise it's not necessarily a bonus having another person there. The stream ends up losing focus and that's a bad thing, in my opinion. Other feedback that you've heard a million times, update the logo!

Louis Sandiford

You’re the best Damiani! All of your hard work has pushed and shaped you into who you are now, and all of your contributions! I remember watching either GT time, or GT live, and thinking, who’s this quiet guy on the panel? But whenever you spoke it was a great point of view, and and very at times profound to the conversation! You’re still a quiet dude, but you’ve opened up more, and that’s awesome to see your presence shine, especially on Friend Code! I and I know others will miss game Sleuth, but I’m loving the Mike and Mike streams right now! You guys have hilarious banter, and know how to keep the audience engaged! Here’s to more greatness to come!

Carmello King

Fantastic read man.

Adam Hentschel

L&R! Work on the stuff you guys feel most passionate about; it always comes through and we’ll be there to support it. :)

Eric Santiago

Thanks for writing this, I really like the vision you've outlined here. while I'll miss gamesleuth I think you should follow your passion as that is what makes EZA so good. Thanks for all that you do!

Mark van Dijken

Great write-up, follow your hearts! L&R

L&R Damiani!

Spunkmire

Do what makes you happy! That always produces the best content. Love and respect✊🏽

Keep up all the great work Damiani, you're an absolute work horse!

Cathal Fallon

Kudos, Damiani

Connell

Much love and respect, Damiani. You're appreciated. ✊🏼

phunkrsd

This is beautiful Damiani. I struggle with imposter syndrome and self esteem issues as well, but I can tell you honestly that you’re many people’s favorite ally due to your honesty, and how passionate you are. Keep it up man, you’re genuinely doing great

Ian Gragnolati

Keep on keeping on, Damiani 😎👍

TAHK0

Love you, Damiani

Jason Jordan

Love and Respect. And adieu to Game Sleuth.

Star Tsurugi


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